It’s often difficult to come up with names for characters. I’ve seen enough variations on Tolkein names to last me a lifetime, not to mention those based on movie characters and other SF/Fantasy series. But where can you go to find a name that’s different, but not overly so? How about from another culture, historical or otherwise?

Beyond ‘Fred’ is an occasional series that provides lists of names from real-world cultures, both past and present. In other posts, I’ve covered everything from Italian to Ancient Egyptian. This time, we’re covering Persian names, ancient and newer.

An important note: I’m listing names that I think sound cool for rpg game purposes. I’m not worrying about historical accuracy. If you’re looking for a name for historical re-enactment, please check out my list of sources at the end of this post. I also don’t usually cover name meanings, but again, most of my sources list those. Finally, I tend to stay away from names that are currently in common usage. I figure if you were interested in those, you wouldn’t be looking at this list.

[Photo courtesy of hsivonen via Flickr Creative Commons]

Ancient Persian Names

Male

• Aêtava
• Airyu
• Bêndva
• Byarshan
• Chamrav
• Dahâka
• Drâdha
• Datis
• Erezavant
• Erezrâspa
• Frâchithra
• Frânya
• Gaevani
• Gaomant
• Hanghaurvah
• Hvova
• Isvant
• Jannara
• Jishti
• Kaeva
• Karesna
• Mathravaka
• Mazdayasna
• Nanarasti
• Neremyazdana
• Paeshata
• Parshinta
• Ravant
• Sadhanah
• Sâma
• Stivant
• Taurvati
• Tura
• Usan
• Uxshan
• Vâgerezan
• Varâza
• Vyâtana
• Xexes
• Xshtavay
• Yima
• Zairita
• Zavan

Female

• Ahoo
• Amytis
• Atosa
• Banafsheh
• Dughdhô-Vâ
• Eredat-Fedhrî
• Franghâd
• Freni
• Ghazal
• Humayâ
• Hutaosâ
• Hvôv
• Jagkrut
• Kanukâ
• Khoshfarberan
• Lila
• Narges
• Narpestan
• Paêsanghanû
• Pouruchista
• Sarvenaz
• Thriti
• Tûshnâmatay
• Urûdhayant
• Ushtavaitî
• Uxshentî
• Vadhut
• Vanghu-Fedhrî
• Zairichi
• Zeheratzade

Newer Persian Names (19th century)

Male

• Abadi
• Adarvan
• ANOSH
• Bahadur
• Beramji
• Burzin
• Chaxshnush
• Cirrus
• Dadar
• Delir
• Dorabji
• Edalji
• Erach
• Erachsha
• Fardunji
• Firdous
• Freortis
• Gashtaham
• Goberu
• Govad
• Hardar
• Hirji
• Hutan
• Isatvastra
• Ishvat
• Izadyar
• Jahandar
• Javidan
• Jehangir
• Kai
• Kavas
• Kurush
• Mahdat
• Mervanji
• Mohor
• Nadarsha
• Nevazar
• Nima
• Nush
• Omid
• Orvadasp
• Palash
• Pishkar
• Puladvand
• Raham
• Rashna
• Rushad
• Sahi
• Shahen
• Surin
• Tahmtan
• Temulji
• Tizuarshti
• Ukarji
• Ushah
• Ushedarmah
• Valash
• Varshasb
• Vaspar
• Wehzan
• Yadgar
• Yazad
• Yima
• Zal
• Zand
• Zirak
• Zurvan

Female

• Abanhir
• Aimai
• Arzu
• Avabai
• Bahar
• Banubai
• Behruz
• Chaman
• Cheherazad
• Deldar
• Dinaz
• Dinbanu
• Farida
• Franak
• Friyana
• Gohar
• Gulbai
• Gilshan
• Homa
• Hormazbanu
• Hutoxi
• Iranbanu
• Irandokht
• Jahanaray
• Jarbai
• Javaneh
• Kaniz
• Khubrui
• Khushnam
• Lalagul
• Laleh
• Lilya
• Mahzarin
• Meherbai
• Morvarid
• Narenj
• Nezhat
• Nilufer
• Omid
• Oranous
• Orkideh
• Parendi
• Parvin
• Puyendeh
• Rambanu
• Roshni
• Ruhae
• Samannaz
• Shirin
• Sudabeh
• Tehmina
• Thrity
• Tishtar
• Ushtavaity
• Vahbiz
• Vira
• Virbanu
• Yasmin
• Yazdin
• Yazdindokht
• Zarin
• Zer
• Zoish

Sources

• Arabian Nights/Ancient Persian Names (Girls)
• Ancient Persian Girl Names
• Avesta names; Old Persian names
• Original Persian Names
• What are Your Favourite Ancient Persian Names?

Other ‘Beyond Fred’ Posts

• Ancient Egyptian
• Ancient Greek
• Ancient Roman
• Anglo-Saxon
• More Anglo-Saxon
• German
• Italian
• Russian
• Victorian English

Greek writing from ancient greek red figure pottery (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Looking for a character name that sounds distinctive but doesn’t look like it came out of a random name generator? How about one from Ancient Greece? Often the best names come from real life. Beyond ‘Fred’ is an occasional series that provides lists of names from real-world cultures, both past and present. In other posts, I’ve covered everything from Italian to Ancient Egyptian.

An important note: I’m listing names that I think sound cool for rpg game purposes. I’m not worrying about historical accuracy. If you’re looking for a name for historical re-enactment, please check out my list of sources at the end of this post. I also don’t usually cover name meanings, but again, most of my sources list those. Finally, I tend to stay away from names that are currently in common usage. I figure if you were interested in those, you wouldn’t be looking at this list

Ancient Greek Names

Male

• Abantes
• Agapetos
• Akakios
• Aktis
• Alexios
• Bakis
• Basileios
• Bion
• Burrhus
• Daetor
• Dareios
• Diodoros
• Diokles
• Dryas
• Echemmon
• Eirenaios
• Epiktetos
• Eustorgios
• Eyrx
• Galenos
• Gennadios
• Glykon
• Gurgos
• Harpagos
• Hesiodos
• Hyakinthos
• Hylas
• Iasos
• Iphitus
• Isidoros
• Itheus
• Kadmos
• Kallias
• Karpos
• Kyrios
• Laomedon
• Linos
• Loxias
• Lykos
• Makarios
• Melampos
• Metrophanes
• Myron
• Narkissos
• Nereus
• Nikias
• Nyctinus
• Okytos
• Olympos
• Origenes
• Orthaeus
• Pammon
• Pankratios
• Phaidros
• Philokrates
• Sabyllos
• Seleukos
• Skiron
• Solon
• Talaemenes
• Thales
• Timaios
• Tros
• Xanthos
• Xenokrates
• Xenon
• Xuthos
• Zagreus
• Zenodoros
• Zopyros
• Zosimus

Female

• Achaia
• Agape
• Aikaterine
• Anthousa
• Basiane
• Berenike
• Bito
• Briseis
• Damaris
• Delias
• Demetria
• Drosis
• Eirene
• Euantha
• Eudokia
• Euthymia
• Evadne
• Gaiane
• Galatea
• Galene
• Glyke
• Haidee
• Hagne
• Helike
• Hypatia
• Iaera
• Ino
• Isidora
• Issa
• Kallistrate
• Kallixeina
• Korinna
• Kynna
• Lais
• Lasthena
• Ligeia
• Lyra
• Megara
• Melitta
• Mykale
• Myrrine
• Nemerte
• Nesaea
• Nikaia
• Nysas
• Oitane
• Olympias
• Oreithyia
• Otonia
• Pales
• Pelagia
• Phile
• Pylia
• Raisa
• Rhene
• Rhode
• Rhodope
• Sebasteia
• Semele
• Sostrate
• Sotera
• Thalassa
• Thais
• Timo
• Tryphosa
• Xanthe
• Xanthippe
• Xene
• Xenia
• Zenobia
• Zita
• Zosime
• Zoe

Hints on pronunciation

• Always pronounce the final “e”– it makes an sound like “eh”.
• “Ch” is always pronounced with a “k” sound.
• “Th” is pronounced smoothly, like in “this”

Sources

• Ancient Greek Names – Male. This page contains hundreds of Ancient Greek mens’ names. A good resource if you’re doing a game set in Ancient Greece or don’t like any of my choices.
• Ancient Greek Names – Female. As full a resource as it’s male counterpart, above. Lists of women’s names from the ancient world are often sparse. This is a rare find for female names.
• Behind the Name: Ancient Greek Names. Mixes male and female names together. Also includes the meaning of the names. Not as big a selection as the page above.
• Encyclopedia Mythica: Pronunciation Guide. Lists many names with their pronunciations.
• Hints on Pronouncing Ancient Greek Names. A few quick pronunciation guidelines.

Other Beyond ‘Fred’ Posts:

• Ancient Egyptian
• Ancient Roman
• Anglo-Saxon
• More Anglo-Saxon
• German
• Italian
• Russian
• Victorian English

Awhile back I did a post on 21 Surefire Ways to Loose Players. With this being Player Month here at Evil Machinations, I thought it time to do a post for the players. Even the most die-hard GMs will change sides of the table, even if it’s a pick-up game at a con. You’d think we’d make the perfect players, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, all too often GMs-turned-PCs are the most difficult players in a group. While orginially aimed at GMs, even players who’ve never sat behind the GM screen should enjoy this list as well.

[Photo courtesy of House of Sims via Flickr Creative Commons 2.0 license]

1. Repeatedly arrive extremely late to a game session without calling to let people know.
2. Repeatedly miss a game session after assuring the GM you’d be there.
3. Refuse to read the rules of the system you’re playing.
4. Hog the spotlight.
5. Give long lectures on how the game you run is better than this one.
6. Tell the GM what he’s doing wrong and offer frequent unsolicited advice on how to run the way you would.
7. Recite a Monty Python or Princess Bride quote for everything that happens during the game.
8. Insist on roleplaying every moment of a supply run.
9. Turn everything said into a sexual innuendo.
10. Make overt sexual advances to every eligable PC in the party.
11. Make overt sexual advances to every eligable player in the group.
12. Argue for every advantage you can squeeze out of the system, even if it takes an hour to win a +1 bonus.
13. Insist that the GM look up an obscure rule in the middle of combat.
14. Expect everything to go your way because the GM is your significant other.
15. Loudly and frequently complain about how your favorite rules system is better than the one the GM is currently using.
16. Insist that the group run your favorite system, especially if they don’t want to change.
17. Constantly brag about your über-character in another game and how she would wipe the floor in this game.
18. Refuse to get dice of your own and insist on borrowing someone else’s.
19. Continuously forget your character sheet so you can make up numbers on the fly.
20. Play while drunk (or high)–unless your entire group enjoys drinking to excess while gaming.
21. Deliberately and/or constantly ignore the rules of the host who’s house you’re playing in (such as putting your feet on the coffee table, not using a coaster, etc.)
22. Torment your host’s pet(s).
23. Play computer games while you’re roleplaying
24. Repeatedly charm members of your own party.
25. Repeatedly steal from members of your own party.
26. Insist on going off on your own on a regular basis.
27. Claim every useful bit of treasure as your own.

How about you? What have I forgotten that really raises your hackles? Please share!

Related Posts

• 21 Sure-Fire Ways to Loose Players
• Fred’s Missing *Again*?
• Handling Problem Players
• How to (Respectfully) Disagree with Your GM
• What’s My Motivation?

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Your GM picked out the adventure, did all of the background work, fleshed out the NPCs, balanced treasure and other rewards. Now it’s finally time to run the adventure, it’s up to the GM to find a way to motivate your character. Right?

[Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/philippeboukobza/ / CC BY 2.0]

Wrong.

True, the GM will most likely provide you a motivation for going on the adventure, but you can help by providing your own motivation for your character.

While “My character wouldn’t do that” can be a legitimate concern (I’m a “method actor”-style player, myself), it’s not helpful. If you try hard enough, there’s usually some way you can provide your character with a motivation to undertake the adventure.

Character History

Even if you don’t have a detailed backstory for your character, you can find a way to work something about this adventure into your character’s history. In fact, it’s probably easier to do it without a detailed history. But even if you’ve written down information for every month of your character’s life, you can still usually find a way to work a motivation for the adventure in there.

Perhaps you stumbled across this dungeon when you were growing up and always wondered what was down there that was so dangerous your parents wouldn’t let you explore it. Or your now-deceased mother had been an adventurer but had fled from this dungeon before exploring it thoroughly and you want to find out what could make a generally fearless woman flee in terror.

These are simply suggestions; you’ll do much better to find some reason yourself. The point is, that it doesn’t have to be a driving passion to provide motivation. Simple curiosity can be enough. Maybe the owner owes you some money and if you can’t get the money, you’re going to take payment in goods of equal value. Or perhaps you want to prove yourself a better adventurer than your mother who’s shadow you’ve been in since you started your career.

Character Relationships

That brings us to our next type of motivation: other people and the relationships your character has with them. It could be your favorite uncle asked you to check out the city sewers to find proof of the giant cybernetic rats and cockroaches he’s always said live down there. Maybe your familiar or a favorite pet wandered into the Mayor’s Mansion and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Or maybe, just maybe, your brother dared you to go into the spooky cave.

Again, the reasons don’t have to be deep of life-changing or part of The Big Picture. It can be petty concerns. The important thing is to have a reason that will motivate you to undertake the adventure. It could even be something simply as the party’s cleric said “Please” when he asked you to come along. Of course, if you want to have this adventure affect your character deeply, go for it.

Character Goals

This brings us to our last set of motivations: your character’s goals. Maybe you want to collect one of every type of potion in the world. Or maybe you need some  scrapings from the wall to to mix the exact shade of grey paint to finish your current project. See, even here you don’t need grandiose ideas — simple ones will do as long as it gets your character moving.

Of course,  you’ll want to clear your motivation with your GM. If he hears, for instance, that you think there may be potions for your collection, then he’ll most likely go out of his way to put one in there as a reward.  Maybe you just want to complete your rock collection and the last type of rock you need is said to exist in this lich-controlled forest. placed in there.

Brainstorming or “Mind-Mapping” can help you find a reason. You can get special software for that, but I find good ol’ pen and paper work great for the job. If you’re really stuck, you might try having the GM other person you trust over for a brainstorming party. If something doesn’t come to you immediately, keep trying until you come up with something you can play. You’ll find the game much more enjoyable.

Other Player Month Posts:

• How to (Respectfully) Disagree with Your GM

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Stumped for a background for your newest character? Why not try some randomly generated ones? Last week, we covered the steps for generating a random background event and the tables for bad things that could happen to your character. Today, we’re covering the good things. Check out last week’s post for full details.

Life Path Good Events

1. Gain a local ally. You’ve gained an ally who has a fair amount of influence or clout in the city, town or village you’re in.
2. Strike it rich. You come into a sizable sum of money.  Whether you won it gambling, received it as payment for services rendered or simply found it, the money is yours–free and clear. No strings. It’s not enough to retire on, but it can certainly keep in you in some comfort for 1d10 months.
3. Big job. You perform a job that brings not only financial reward, but also some recognition. Whether your face is widely known in the streets or to an elite few is up to you. In either case, you gain a positive boost to your reputation.
4. Find a weaponsmaster. You find a skilled warrior/fighter whose abilities exceed your own and who’s willing to teach you. You improve one of your combat-related skills or add a weapon proficiency. The GM will tell you how many improvement points you gain.
5. Find a skills master. You find someone who can help you either improve a non-combat skill you already have or learn a new one at a beginning level. The GM will tell you how many improvement points you gain.
6. Powerful favor. Someone in political power in your game world owes you a favor. Maybe you ran an important errand or maybe you just babysat his favorite nephew. In any case, you will be able to call in one favor from this person. The GM will decide whether or not the favor you’re asking for is equitable with the one you received.
7. Friends in low places. You make some friends with a local group or gang. It could be the local thieves guild or it could be a teenage gang of misfits. In either case, you can call on them for one small favor a month. This does cut both ways and the gang will expect you to return small favors should they need them. These should be easy favors that won’t hurt your reputation or your bank account.
8. Friend on the force. You make a friend on the local constabulary or town guard. You can call on your friend for information or minor favors once a month. Again, this is two-way street and you friend can also call on you for the same.
9. Friends in high places. You make a friend to has some measure of clout. Perhaps you rescued a local prince or duke or perhaps the princess has simply taken a liking to you. You can call on your friend for a small favor once a month, but don’t push it.
10. Gain an asset. You find or are given a very useful or minor magic item (GM’s choice). However you come by it, it’s yours with no repercussions or strings attached.

Of course, you can also use these for “down time” events in-between adventures.

Look for next week when we’ll begin a “Player Month”, with articles for the players in your group.

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